Life Now
by T2 Angel
Summary: What if Anubis was revived after he died final battle? What if his selfless act gave him the chance to return and live again? What if his sacrifice to save Kayura led to something more between the two? Anubis x Kayura. One-shot.


This started off as an idea to be worked on later... but turned into a project I could NOT get out of my head. Haha. So, this is one of the fastest ones I've ever done and, though there may be some flaws, I felt I needed to put it out.

Let me explain that: I'm always greatly planning my fanfics FOREVER! This one... I feel like I just need to do. So, reviews, please! Whatever is wrong with this, tell me! It's awesome, tell me!

So, here is my FIRST Ronin Warriors fanfic! It's my idea of what would happen if Anubis came back after dying to save Kayura. I always hated the fact that Anubis died and thought it really sucked. He deserved more than that. So... I decided to give to him.

Please, review! Enjoy!

DISCLAIMER: Of course I don't own Ronin Warriors, are you kidding me?! Wish I did... I'd be coming up with a follow up with that series, too.

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**Life Now**

He remembered the sacrifice he was ready to make.

He remembered making it.

He remembered finally having pride in himself and feeling for himself the redemption of his soul.

He even remembered the immense pain but welcomed it as a testament to his struggle and triumph.

Then… nothing.

Anubis, the former warlord of Cruelty and the chosen heir of the Ancient One, knew that his final choice had cost him his life. And he was not ashamed of that, at all. He was proud to make that choice. For to save his friends, his former enemies, Lady Kayura, and stop the evil Dynasty, his death was a small price to pay.

And pay it he did.

But now, suddenly, he felt warm and comfortable. He thought he might be in heaven or somewhere like it until he opened his eyes and looked around. It seemed like a physical plain. He was in a room of some kind, nothing special about it; just a room. It occurred to him, once he tried to move, that his body was stiff and he felt a slight tinge of pain.

That told him all he needed to know.

He was alive.

His eyes grew wide, "What…"

He couldn't believe it. He was alive.

He sat up, slowly and slightly painfully, and looked at the bandages on both of his hands and covering his abdomen and wrapping over his right shoulder. He slowly touched his wounded mid-section. It was still tender but he was no worse for wear.

And this confused him greatly.

"How… how is this…?"

He then heard a very familiar sound. It was a sound he once caused.

It was the sound of chimes.

The chimes of a shajuko.

The Ancient One's shajuko.

Anubis looked at the doorway, where the sound was coming from, and seconds later, Lady Kayura, in her priestess attire with the staff in hand, came walking around the corner.

"Kayura…" he said, pleasantly surprised.

She smiled. "Anubis…" she said with relief in her voice.

He never noticed it before… but she was a very beautiful woman. Though, more pressing issues came to his mind. "How… where am I?"

"Home…"

"Home?" He looked around, "And… where is that?"

She smiled.

A few minutes later, Kayura walked with Anubis, with his arm around her shoulders to help him stay steady, around the compound that once belonged to their dark usurper, Talpa. Anubis took notice that somehow it seemed brighter, peaceful, and, the most noticeable feature, all of the evil that once filled the air like smog seemed to be gone.

"What is this?" Anubis asked in amazement.

"We're changing the world," Kayura said. "_Our_ world. Removing Talpa's influence and making a place of peace."

Anubis looked to see the humans of the Nether World working hard to change the look of the compound. "I imagine Nether World is no longer a fitting name."

She smiled. "We've tried to imagine something else. So far, no luck."

"Where are the other Warlords?"

"They are off working elsewhere. The people enslaved here are being freed from whatever monsters were still loyal to Talpa. They are being liberated led to a new way of life." She smiled, "And… they prefer not to be called Warlords anymore."

Anubis looked at her confused. "What do they prefer then?"

She held her smile. "Ronins."

He quietly gasped. He almost couldn't believe it. But he did smile. It was a fitting name for them, now, after all. A lot had changed, it seemed. He wondered how long he had been gone.

Later that evening, Anubis was lying on his bed. He sat up again, tired of lying down, and began to think of all the recent events. He remembered his last days and how much it must have taken for Kayura and the others to get things to where they were today. Maybe not all of Talpa's influence was gone but to even start must've taken some time and a lot of work. But it told Anubis that he made the right choice and left things in very capable hands.

"You were out for a while," Kayura said as she walked in. "I imagined it was the shock of everything. We were still walking and talking and you passed out again."

Anubis sighed. "This… has been quite shocking."

"I can only imagine."

Anubis paused, looking down at his bandaged hands again. He looked up at her. "Kayura… what happened?"

"To you?"

He nodded.

She sat down on his bed where he could on see her profile. She looked down at the ground. Her mind went back to the events after the defeat of Talpa and freeing of their world.

"After you fell…" she began, "we thought you lost. Sacrificed… to save us all. Cale said we should honor in every way you deserved." She looked up at him and stared into his eyes. "We never would've made it without you, after all."

He looked away. He thought that was too much praise.

She looked down again, "We laid your body to rest in the closest thing we could make into a temple here. Honor where it is due." She paused again. "But… my ancestor… the Ancient One came to me and told me… you had redeemed yourself many times over… and that you earned a second chance." He looked at Anubis, "He said more than anyone… you deserved to live again." She paused. "We… we placed the staff by you and… it healed your most serious injuries and… and it was like the Ancient himself retrieved your soul and brought you back." She stopped for a while before speaking again, looking up at the ceiling, "It was… as though we all were granted a second chance." She looked at him, "All thanks to you."

Anubis looked down at his bandaged hands. "Allowed a second chance… redemption…"

"The Ancient One said… finding your spirit wasn't hard." She giggled, "It's so strong, after all."

He didn't respond. He couldn't. This was all so much. He couldn't believe all the evil he allowed could be forgiven so easily.

She was seeing him coming to terms with everything. It must be hard for him, she imagined. Then she thought about it… she couldn't imagine it. There was no way she could imagine that.

"It's like this is a dream…"

She looked up at him.

"I was ready for it to be over. I accepted that my life was over…" He paused. "To have it back now… a chance to live life again after everything… it's so surreal." He looked at her, "My last act was to save you from Talpa and Badamon. All of my focus was there." He looked up at the ceiling, "If I died saving you…"

She stared at him as he paused. It truly occurred to her until now how much Anubis needed to be the hero for everyone. He did it to make up for all the wrong he did. And, for a reason she couldn't explain, she also noticed how incredibly handsome he is.

"I imagined then… I could be forgiven… and have earned my redemption."

She smiled. "And you did. You earned it and more."

He smiled. "I imagine I have."

"Anubis…" she took hold of one his hands with both of hers.

He was surprised and looked at her… to see tears welling up in her eyes.

"I'm sorry. For-for what I did…"

"You were under…"

"Not just then," she cut him off, knowing he was speaking of her time under Badamon's influence. "But before. For all the horrible things I did… I just have to say…"

In a most surprising move, Anubis placed his other hand on top of hers. She looked in surprise at their hands and looked up at Anubis and found his very warm, caring eyes staring into hers.

"It is alright, Kayura. Talpa clouded all of our judgment and used us both… used us all for his ends. But… the Ancient and the efforts of the Ronin Warriors saved us all. We need no longer be tied by the evil used to serve. Nor by the mistakes we made serving that evil."

He then smiled at her.

Wow, that was amazing, she thought.

"We are free," he said.

She appreciated his words but was almost in disbelief over them. Hard to believe this was the same person she was dead set on killing when she was under Talpa's thumb. She shook her head, "We fought. I fought to kill you. I caused your death. You died because of me. And yet… here you are… telling me… it will all be okay."

He just smiled.

"Honestly… I would just be grateful… in knowing that you are alive. All this… is more than I could wish for."

He looked at her curious. "Wish for?"

She blushed… then looked away. "I just… never thought you'd be back."

Anubis softly chuckled. "Indeed."

"For…" she looked back at him, "for everything you did. Not just saving me… but saving us all… thank you."

"I did what was necessary… to make up for my bloodstained past."

"You did that… and more…"

He smiled, again, warmly at her and her at him.

It was then, for the first time for either of them, a strange yet very welcome feeling came over them. It was one that, for two people being involved in Talpa's evil for so long was quite foreign, was almost frightening.

Or, at least, it felt like it should've been.

But, at this moment, it felt like the most natural thing in the world.

Without realizing it, they were both leaning close toward with each other. Slowly but surely, they both closed their eyes and their lips met. It was a tender kiss but it was so much more for these two who had known nothing but evil and darkness for a majority of their lives and kept from their humanity. This felt like they were both human again.

They both felt alive again.

They broke the kiss slowly and stared at each other. Neither knowing what to say.

"Forgive me…" Kayura said. "I don't… I don't know what…"

Anubis softly put her hand on the side of her face, causing her to pause. He kissed her again. It took less than a second for her to fall into the bliss of it again. She was amazed; for a man so epically strong to have a touch so tender and a kiss so soft and inviting.

After the kiss, he looked in her eyes, "There is nothing to forgive."

Kayura stared right back into his, amazed at how beautiful they were. "We… we truly are free… aren't we?"

He nodded.

"I would… love… to experience that freedom… with you… together…"

"And I… would love to experience with you."

She lightly touched his cheek, both of them enjoying the feeling. "This… a whole new life now… isn't it?"

"Yes."

She smiled. "Good. I love it."

Life now… was nothing like it had been, like nothing it they had ever known. They knew, for a fact, that life could really start now. And, from this point on, it could only be better.

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And there you have it! Reviews, please! I want to know what is right and wrong about it! Please, holding nothing back! Thanks in advance!

See you guys next time!


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